72-1372. CIVIL PENALTIES. (1) The following civil penalties shall be assessed by the director:

(a) If a determination is made finding that an employer willfully filed a false report, a monetary penalty equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the amount that would be due if the employer had filed a correct report or two hundred fifty dollars ($250), whichever is greater, shall be added to the liability of the employer for each quarter for which the employer willfully filed a false report. For the purposes of this section, a false report includes, but is not limited to, a report for a period wherein an employer pays remuneration for personal services which meets the definition of "wages" under section 72-1328, Idaho Code, and the payment is concealed, hidden, or otherwise not reported to the department.

(b) If a determination is made finding that an employer willfully failed to file the employer’s quarterly unemployment insurance tax report when due, the director shall assess a monetary penalty equal to:

(i) Seventy-five dollars ($75.00) or twenty-five percent (25%) of the amount that would be due if the employer had filed a timely quarterly report, whichever is greater, if the employer had not been found in any previous determination to have willfully failed to file a timely quarterly report for any of the sixteen (16) preceding consecutive calendar quarters; or

(ii) One hundred fifty dollars ($150) or fifty percent (50%) of the amount that would be due if the employer had filed a timely quarterly report, whichever is greater, if the employer had been found in any previous determination to have willfully failed to file a timely quarterly report for no more than one (1) of the sixteen (16) preceding consecutive calendar quarters; or

(iii) Two hundred fifty dollars ($250) or one hundred percent (100%) of the amount that would be due if the employer had filed a timely quarterly report, whichever is greater, if the employer had been found in any previous determination or determinations to have willfully failed to file a timely quarterly report for two (2) or more of the sixteen (16) preceding consecutive calendar quarters.

(c) If a determination is made finding that an employer, or any officer or agent or employee of the employer with the employer’s knowledge, willfully made a false statement or representation or willfully failed to report a material fact when submitting facts to the department concerning a claimant’s separation from the employer, a penalty in an amount equal to ten (10) times the weekly benefit amount of such claimant shall be added to the liability of the employer.

(d) If a determination is made finding that an employer has induced, solicited, coerced or colluded with an employee or former employee to file a false or fraudulent claim for benefits under this chapter, a penalty in an amount equal to ten (10) times the weekly benefit amount of such employee or former employee shall be added to the liability of the employer.

(e) If a determination is made finding that an employer failed to complete and submit an Idaho business registration form when due, as required by section 72-1337(1), Idaho Code, a penalty of five hundred dollars ($500) shall be assessed against the employer.

(f) For purposes of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this subsection, the term "weekly benefit amount" means the amount determined by the director pursuant to section 72-1367(2), Idaho Code.

(g) If a determination is made finding that a person has made any unauthorized disclosure of employment security information in violation of the provisions of chapter 1, title 74, Idaho Code, or section 72-1342, Idaho Code, or rules promulgated thereunder, a penalty of five hundred dollars ($500) for each act of unauthorized disclosure shall be assessed against the person.

(h) If a determination is made finding that a professional employer failed to submit a separate quarterly wage report for each client as required in section 72-1349B(4), Idaho Code, the director shall assess a monetary penalty equal to one hundred dollars ($100) for each client not separately reported by the professional employer; provided that the maximum penalty for any quarter shall not exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000).

(2) At the discretion of the director, the department may waive all or any part of the penalties imposed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section if the employer shows to the satisfaction of the director that it had good cause for failing to comply with the requirements of this chapter and rules promulgated thereunder.

(3) Determinations imposing civil penalties pursuant to this section shall be served in accordance with section 72-1368(5), Idaho Code. Penalties imposed pursuant to this section shall be due and payable twenty (20) days after the date the determination was served unless an appeal is filed in accordance with section 72-1368, Idaho Code, and rules promulgated thereunder. Such appeals shall be conducted in accordance with section 72-1368, Idaho Code, and rules promulgated thereunder.

(4) Civil penalties imposed by this section shall be in addition to any other penalties authorized by this chapter. The provisions of this chapter that apply to the collection of contributions, and the rules promulgated thereunder, shall also apply to the collection of penalties imposed pursuant to this section. Amounts collected pursuant to this section shall be paid into the state employment security administrative and reimbursement fund as established by section 72-1348, Idaho Code.

History:

[72-1372, added 2005, ch. 5, sec. 16, p. 31; am. 2007, ch. 64, sec. 1, p. 157; am. 2008, ch. 44, sec. 5, p. 116; am. 2008, ch. 99, sec. 3, p. 276; am. 2011, ch. 117, sec. 1, p. 326; am. 2015, ch. 141, sec. 196, p. 530; am. 2016, ch. 280, sec. 3, p. 777.]